Start Over
by Kisses Reflect
Summary: Post HOO. Underestimating never helped anyone. And it's pretty much a rebuke this mortal receives from an underestimated 'troublemaker' about a second chance at school. Really, they ought to change the system. Canon.


**Disclaimer: I have no rights to the Percy Jackson series. Rick Riordan has given a small liberty for us to use his characters unofficially on this site and that is all it is. Fan-fiction.**

**.**

Mr. Morelli was not a nervous person by character, but the file in front of him gave the scholastic transgressions of the new kid, who had been allowed to attend the school. The place where he worked.

He was the guidance counselor and so, one of those people who was in charge of deciding if a student could join their place.

And this Jackson kid was given a pass for the entirety of his sophomore year, even after his horrible attendance record, his overall D grade, very less participation activities and the like.

Morelli was new to Goode, but he could already imagine what kind of truant Jackson would be. The classic 'bad boy' who sat at the back of the class, dealing in nefarious businesses in the smelly bathrooms and hung around with the downtown crowd until midnight, rarely even bothering with education and his own family.

The counselor added a few piercings to the imaginary Jackson in his head when his cell rang and he jumped.

"Er… Stanford Morelli, Goode Guidance Counselor."

A fresh voice, fresh as in – ready for the day – voice, called out through the line. "Hello, Mr. Morelli, this is Paul Blofis. I'm in the English department in Goode. Dean Summers informed me that you've decided that Mr. Jackson could continue his schooling here."

Morelli sat up, looking into the file. Paul Blofis was one of the teachers he'd met on his first day of the school. A man of good character and judgement, Morelli hadn't expected Blofis to be concerned of someone like Jackson.

"Yes. Yes, I did."

"Well, I have to thank you for that Percy's mother was adamant that Goode would be the best place for him since he's been responding well to the program here. It's been better than the previous school, let me tell you. I hope you've had no second thoughts. I spoke to Percy about this and he promised that he'd do his best to keep up all his grades. He's a good boy and he has real motivation to be here."

Morelli tried to think positively. He'd heard this a hundred times. 'He really wants to be educated.' ' She understands how important school is.' 'I'm so glad you're giving them a second chance at their lives. Their future!'

Most of the times, the troublemakers would relapse back into rehab or juvie. There were select kids who really found the light in school through new friends, comforting teachers, better interests, but the chances of being so focused with the future was low because, what kid actually is prepared to be stuck in one field for the rest of their lives?

"I'm glad." Morelli replied, hoping his voice didn't fake the politeness. "I'm looking forward to his progress. I usually keep tabs on students like him through the tests scores. He'll be joining next week. So I hope he can keep up with the courses."

Blofis usually had a certain optimism in his tone, but it dulled down in his next set of words.

"_Students like him?"_

Morelli cringed, "Nothing like that, Mr Blofis. I assure you, I'm simply aware of troubled children who may find it difficult to be in a studious environment for an extended period of time."

Blofis let out a gust of air which increased the static in the line. "Well, I hope you're point of view will change after you make your acquaintance with Percy. He's a wonderful person. He may have had his share of bad luck, but I'm certain he'll be better prepared for the new term."

The counselor tried not to make a retort. He knew more about such kids than Paul Blofis did. There was no sure fire way of getting a student to understand the gravity of education. The only reason why Jackson had even made it back in Goode was because he hadn't failed in too many subjects before he skipped out, which was a miracle in Morelli's eyes.

"Well, I hope to meet him soon." Assuming Jackson didn't bunk.

Blofis may have faith in him, but Morelli stood by his principles of observing and then deciding.

.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

Percy Jackson looked perfectly ordinary.

Well, except for the fact that he had a slightly scarred face, twitchy hands and a steely look in his eyes that suggested that someone could attack or be attacked at anytime.

Through the first month of observation, Morelli saw new personality rather than what he had imagined. No rings, no tattoos, no dyed hair or improper dress code, no evidence of suggestible activities. Jackson was almost boring to watch.

He had his quirks. He always fiddled with the same pen that would never write. He had a girlfriend with whom he literally couldn't be far from. He looked almost possessive of her which made Morelli wonder if they had any relationship abuse between them but Ms. Chase completely at content with him. In fact, she looked most relaxed only when Jackson was by her side.

And as far as the schooling went, the assignment scores weren't too bad. They were bordering between B and C, which was clearly a high point in the boy's life, since he seemed proud of his work.

On a dull Tuesday morning, Jackson actually visited the Guidance Counselor.

"Yes?" Morelli asked, trying not to look stunned. Students, as a rule, usually avoided his office since any association with a counselor meant 'shrink alert!'

"Yeah, good morning, Mr. Morelli. I'm Percy Jackson and Ms. Giselle told me that I'm supposed to submit my marks record to you."

He held out the shiny paper of all his scores of the first series of tests.

"Thank you." Morelli replied, looking through the record. No fails. No red comments. A miracle in his line of work.

"You know something, Mr. Jackson." Morelli asked just as the teenager was about to leave. "There aren't many children who would be able to catch up on school work after skipping an entire year."

He'd meant it as a point to note. Jackson looked reserved at that.

"Oh. Well, I have a really great tutor. She's brilliant at school and we have a plan set for the future which involves a successful graduation."

He said it openly, smiling with a barely suppressed pride.

Morelli nodded. "Who's this tutor, if I may ask?"

"Annabeth Chase."

The answer was given without hesitation and with ease. Morelli had half expected him to refuse a name if the marks had been scored through cheating.

"Isn't Ms. Chase repeating her sophomore year, the same as you?"

"Yes." The smile dimmed a bit.

"It doesn't add up, does it?"

Jackson looked irritated. Morelli, expected this emotion, so he kept himself composed wondering if the teen was going to bust his office with a baseball bat.

"She had a close personal responsibility and she believes that family comes before education and school. And everyone supported her in that manner. My own case does not relate to her, simply because we know each other. As a professional counselor, I would've though you would be open minded in matters like this."

Jackson's voice was cold and slightly taunting. Morelli, for most of the fact, was taken aback. No troublemaker had ever seemed so mature like the one standing in front of him. It made the adult wonder if the boy wasn't actually a troublemaker but simply a victim of bad luck, as how Paul Blofis had put it.

"I see." Morelli replied, trying not to sound chastised. He felt like it though. "I would believe that I owe Blofis his right."

Jackson gave him a blank look. Morelli smiled. "If you see Mr. Blofis, you can relay on that I was wrong. One can never be right all the time, anyways."

The kid shifted his feet, grinning slowly. "Let me guess, he called before to put in a good word for me?"

"Yes. How'd you know?" Morelli suspected the boy to have asked Blofis to do that.

"He's my step father. Step dad. Mom's best bud. My ticket into the educational stream. But seriously, I'll let him know."

So maybe judging before observing didn't work out for Morelli in this case, at least he found a good motivational story out of the situation for other students labeled as stereotypical troublemakers.

Really, they had to change the system.


End file.
